"Investigators ascertained that the police officer had beaten to death a detainee. A forensic examination of the detainee's body found at least 18 fractures of ten ribs," SK spokesman Vladimir Markin said.

"On October 6, 2011, policemen detained two residents of Karachai-Cherkessia who were in a state of alcoholic and narcotic intoxication," Markin said.

A magistrate sentenced each of them to 10-day administrative arrest.

On October 7, deputy head of Cherkessk police for operations issued an illegal instruction to bring the detainees to his office. Rakhayev beat up Dakhir Dzhankezov, 47, who died of his injures before the ambulance arrived.

Rakhayev went into hiding after the incident. He was detained on February 29 and placed under arrest. The Cherkess police officer was accused of malicious infliction of grave harm to health which resulted in the victim's death, and exceeding his authority.